Snowed In
by TribalVipe
Summary: Rafael and Liv find themselves snowed in at a cabin in upstate New York. Drinking, laughing, and smut ensues. One-Shot.


A/N: Another mediocre fic I wrote in a day. I wanted to try another hand at smut, but I never actually went through it. It's more like Sm- rather than smut. In any case, this fic was inspired by another writer adrianna_m_scovill over on tumblr and ao3. Such an amazing writer! I don't own SVU or its characters. ENJOY.

* * *

"Stay in a cabin in the woods, she said. It'll be fun, she said…"

Liv rolled her eyes and shrugged the blanket tighter around her form. Her toes were freezing, even in the thick, fuzzy slippers and wool socks she wore. Of course, it didn't help her shivering form that she was standing in front of a large picture window, giving her a complete view of the lake front, frozen under a thick layer of ice.

Under normal circumstances, she would have basked in the beauty of the winter looking wonderland that lay just a short distance from this little, wooden cabin. However, the piling snow that reached half way up the window disintegrated any sort of happy feeling she had felt when they arrived yesterday and the snow was just to their ankles instead of their waists.

"First of all, I never said that. The people who organized this entire convention said that."

Rafael sighed heavily from the couch, wrapped in an equally heavy blanket and wearing even more layers than she was. He looked like a sulking child from where he sat, arms crossed over his chest and his hair mused, lip out in what she would consider a pout. He hadn't even had his coffee yet, so she would give the grumbled little comment under his breath as she walked towards the kitchen a pass.

"You'd think this would have been organized better. Having a bunch of cops and lawyers getting snowed in to tiny cabins around a lake? It's like a war zone waiting to explode."

Liv ignored his comment and flipped on the little television that sat on the kitchen counter while she went about making coffee and trying to find something to throw together for breakfast. The kitchens in these little cabins were supposed to be stocked and ready for incoming guests, but they had little more than half a box of popcorn, a carton of orange juice and a few other odds and ends that looked like they'd been there forever. It wasn't a pleasant sight, seeing the pantry and fridge so empty with the blowing wind and snow piling up outside.

They did, however, have a fully stocked alcohol cabinet, which was nice. Most of these cabins up here were family friendly, so she didn't imagine the liquor supplies in most of the cabins were touched that often.

"At least we have power. It looks like half the people up here don't." The news was showing a graph of power outages. Their spattering of cabins was on the outlying, unaffected area, and she hoped it would stay that way. She had a hot bath planned for later and there was nothing in this world that was going to take it from her. It was difficult to get one at home, with an incredibly energetic five-year-old bouncing from one activity to the next.

"It better stay that way."

Liv scoffed and grabbed a bottle of red wine, prepared to start drinking early, "You can't control nature. And sitting there sulking isn't going to make it stop snowing and plow us out of here. Why don't you watch CNN or something? Take your mind off the fact we're trapped here."

"Or, I could call the main office and ask when they're going to dig us out," he sighed and pulled his phone out from the blanket cocoon he was wrapped in. She smiled as she uncorked the bottle and watched his frown. He was quite adorable when he got all huffy and irritated. Normally, it annoyed her, but she hadn't ever seen him in this state with bed head and a hoodie. It was so domestic.

She hummed and walked around the kitchen, looking for wine glasses that had been buried at the top of the last cabinet she checked. After carefully climbing and maneuvering, she poured to big glasses and shuffled over to the couch. She didn't even bother to listen to him endlessly complain and ask questions to the poor desk person he was connected to. Instead, she flipped on the flat screen and curled up into a ball.

After a moment of shivering, she reached over and grabbed on one end of the blanket that lie over Rafael's lap, securing it over her own. The death glare he shot her was so amusing it made her giggle. He ended the call not a minute later and snatched the blanket back, throwing his phone harshly on the coffee table.

Liv nudged him with her foot and crossed her arms, looking at him expectantly. She smiled triumphantly when he grumbled and readjusted the blanket so that it was fully covering them both.

"They said the snow plows would be here soon, and by soon, they meant tomorrow afternoon. Apparently, they don't have their own snow plows and have to rely on city ones. Oh, and if the power does go out over here, we're screwed. No generators. But, don't worry! Every cabin comes equipped with a fucking portable space heater!"

Rafael leaned back and let his head drop back on the couch. Liv did her best to hide her giggling behind her hand and focus on the Friends rerun she settled on. She wasn't too pleased with their situation either, but they would have to make do. There was nothing to be done about it. They very well couldn't shovel themselves out.

"Look on the bright side. We have a ton of liquor, on demand movies, and we won't be stuck in a conference for twelve hours, talking about the same topic twenty times over with a bunch of different cops and DA's like we had to yesterday. Think of this as a vacation."

"I'd rather be vacationing in my apartment, where I can leave whenever I want to."

Liv just shook her head and settled into the couch, sipping her wine. He was going to be grumpy all morning and she would have to live with that. "Here, drink."

"Liv, it's 9:30 in the morning."

"And? Don't bother telling me you don't day drink. I've walked into your office at damn near eight o'clock in the morning and spotted a scotch on your desk."

"I was also doing double-time for homicide because ADA Brooks was on maternity leave. That scotch was the only thing that got me through those six weeks."

"Rafa," she said pleadingly, sitting up and sliding the glass over to him on the coffee table. She placed hand on his bicep underneath the blanket and squeezed it. "For the love of everything Holy, please. Drink and relax. It's going to be a long day and I don't think I can handle listening to you gripe the entirety of it."

Rafael looked at her for a minute, eyes unreadable as they traced along her face. She licked her lips, letting her hand slide off his bicep and back into her lap. She wished he wouldn't look at her like that sometimes. She found it far too attractive to be considered friendly and she wasn't opening up that can of worms in this situation.

Nope.

Not while she was stuck in a cabin with him, alone, with nowhere to go.

She was relieved and when finally grabbed the glass and downed half of it three gulps. He pulled a disgusting face and she chuckled, nodding towards the kitchen. "They have scotch, don't worry."

"Good."

* * *

They sat on the couch for a long time and drank a little, switching back and forth between watching old sitcoms, the news, and the weather channel before they settled on some mediocre Indie film that ended with a shitty plot twist and terrible acting. It left them both feeling confused as the credits rolled.

"So…was that her brother all along? Or was he her father?"

"I'm still trying to figure out if the Aunt was really the mother of her father…which could be her brother…"

"Ok, that's one fucked up family tree."

Liv burst into a fit of giggles and sat up, stretching. Her back popped satisfyingly and she checked the time, realizing it was nearing two in the afternoon. The snow was still falling outside but the sun had come out, which was somewhat good news. Maybe, if the snow stopped, it could start to melt some.

She would admit, though, that she was having a lot of fun. She hadn't been able to sit down, relax, and watch television for that long amount of time since she brought Noah home, and even beyond that. Add the fact that Rafael had lightened up considerably made it all the better.

"Alright…I think it's time I go take a nap."

"A nap?" Liv watched as he unwrapped himself and stood, stretching and popping his own back.

"I'm on vacation. I'm trying to relax. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Yeah."

"Then, this is me relaxing. I like naps. They keep me happy and balanced."

"Really? Maybe you should spend your lunch break sleeping rather than drinking two cups of coffee and snapping at us when we need something."

"That's cute," he dropped as he walked by, but a playful smile on his face was there when he winked at her. She just rolled her eyes and smacked his forearm gently, bidding him a goodnight. She sat on the couch and stared at the ceiling for a good ten minutes before she decided it was bath time. She had planned to take one that night with some lit candles and her tablet propped up on the edge, playing one of those trashy reality television shows she had a secret addiction to.

She blamed Rollins for that one. The woman was into some crackpot TV, but some of them weren't that bad.

She quietly snuck past Rafael's room and undressed, wrapping herself in a fluffy robe and grabbing her shampoo, bubble bath, the bottle of wine she snatched before she walked back and her tablet, intent to soak for an hour. She just hoped Rafael wouldn't wake up and demand to use the bathroom.

He would have to brave the cold and go outside. She chuckled at the thought.

After waiting for the bath to fill up and creating the perfect amount of lavender, bubbly goodness, she shucked off her robe, pulled her hair up and gently got in, sighing in pleasure as the hot water caressed her skin.

With one of her favorite shows on, the bottle of free wine and all the time in the world, Liv felt like the happiest woman on Earth in that moment.

* * *

To Rafael, it felt like hours that he'd been asleep, when in reality, a good 45 minutes had passed by him in the dream world. He sat up groggily in his bed and rubbed his eyes, the bright light cutting through his curtains blinding him for a second.

That had been one good, much needed nap. He didn't get very many of them these days. He was always way too busy to truly rest and enjoy one, but there was something to this situation he found himself in. There was truly nothing they could do about the weather and the fact that they were snowed in. Maybe, being forced to relax by both mother nature and Liv was the best thing for him right now.

He'd been so stressed out with work lately. He was messing up in court, being faced with tough decisions and taking the heat for it…maybe this entire snow storm happening and trapping them up there in a cabin, in a forest was divine intervention, because he was _this close_ to snapping on the wrong person. He was already hanging by a thread with McCoy.

He slipped out of bed and quickly into the slippers he kept there, slipping on his thick robe. He had to use the restroom and after that, he was going to search the cabinets for something edible he cook up real quick for both him and Liv. He was starving, and he knew she had to be. She hadn't had much to each the night before, unlike himself, who took full advantage of the catering at the convention center. She had been too busy working the room with her charm and beautiful smile.

Which, was good for him, because he wasn't so good at the schmoozing. He was too blunt for a lot of these people's likings and Liv was the perfect person to counteract the harsh set of his words. They worked well like that.

He yawned and shuffled down the hallway, mind thinking about what he was going to do for the rest of the day. They'd exhausted the on-demand movie catalogue and the news was boring and filled with things he'd rather not listen to at the moment. There were a ton of board games, old and new, in the hall closet, but sometimes, Liv could be a sore loser.

Speaking of Liv…

"Ah!"

"Oh! Shit! Sorry!"

Rafael quickly backed out of the bathroom, a hand covering his eyes but it was too late. He'd gotten quite the eyeful of Olivia Benson and it was searing into his brain as he stood there. He cursed himself and leaned back against the wall.

"Liv, I'm so sorry! I didn't even know you were in there."

"The door is closed and the lights are on…and you didn't know I was in here?!"

Her muffled voice through the door sounded angry and embarrassed and truly felt bad for what he just did, albeit unintentionally. He hadn't been paying attention…and because of that, he'd seen things he only ever thought about late at night when he was alone and could bask in the guilt and shame he felt before he fell into a peaceful slumber.

"Jesus…," he mumbled to himself, trying in vain not to think about the image that wasn't leaving his mind. He just had to walk in while she was drying her hair, dripping wet and naked…

Liv opened the door and stormed out, mad as hell and cheeks read. Rafael did his best to look somewhat dignified while she laid into him. He refused to look anywhere other than her eyes out of respect, and wisely kept his mouth shut while she berated him.

She wasn't normally that heated, but she was embarrassed, he could tell. He felt incredible amounts of guilt settling on his shoulders.

"Liv, really. I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention. I would never do something like that on purpose."

Liv sighed and crossed her arms, "I know you wouldn't. Sorry…I'm just a little embarrassed."

"No, no, it's ok. I mean, don't be embarrassed."

She looked at him, having to angle her eyes a bit. Barefoot, he was a good inch and a half taller than her, something he commented on the other night, when they had arrived and shucked their coats and shoes to settle in. She hadn't really noticed it until just then.

"Easier said, Rafa," she grumbled and turned back into the bathroom, grabbing her stuff up. He waited patiently until she passed him and entered her bedroom, where she promptly shut the door without another word. He sighed heavily and went about his business, trying not to think about what he just encountered.

It was difficult, though. She was a beautiful woman and he was attracted to her. Everything from her looks, to her personality, to the way she walked, talked, and put him in his place. She was infuriating and breathtaking all in one.

 _Stop. Stop. Stop. It can never happen. It won't ever happen._

He splashed water on his face and cleared his mind, desperate not to show just how much this little event affected him. He wasn't about to go and make it ten times more awkward because he was floundering to avoid the fact he saw her naked.

… _God, it's going to be a long fucking day._

* * *

Almost an hour later, Liv emerged from her room, dressed from head to toe in comfortable clothes. She made an effort to make sure not an inch of skin was showing, although she probably looked ridiculous with her zip-up literally zipped all the way up. It was obvious that what happened earlier had made her uncomfortable, but not in the way he would most likely interpret it.

She'd felt…she didn't even know what she felt. Exhilarated? Turned on? She'd gone from horrified to aroused in the span of three seconds, which was how long it took for Rafael to see her and shut the door just as quickly as he opened it. The hot feeling pooling in her belly as she stood and stared at the door made her cheeks red with embarrassment. She tried not think about it as she yelled at him through the door and then angrily tore him down the moment she opened the door again, clothed.

It was all so complicated and it was something she had been sifting through the entire time she'd been locked away in her room. She'd spent all that time, lying on the bed in her robe, trying to figure out what it all meant. Which meant, bringing up things she would rather not even think about. She never wanted to think about, actually.

She trekked back out into the living room and tied her hair up, spotting Barba at one of the counters with his back turned to her. She cleared her throat discreetly, letting him know she was in the room. She crossed her arms over her chest and watched as he smiled apologetically at her.

"I found brownie mix and popcorn…I figured that's sufficient enough for dinner."

She hummed and nodded, walking towards the counter. She leaned on it and watched him mix ingredients silently for a moment. Finally, she sighed and stopped his movements with a hand on his arm. She tried not to let her surprise be known as she noticed for the first time just how muscular his arms were.

"Look, I don't want things to be awkward between us. It was a mistake and everything it ok. We can be adults about this."

"Agreed."

"Good…," she nodded and turned back to the liquor cabinet. She pulled out a couple of bottles of more wine, deciding she needed a drink and he probably did as well. "Now. How about some drinks?"

"I'll take a scotch," he gestured towards where the amber liquid still sat on the coffee table from earlier. She shook her head and grabbed two more wine glasses from the cabinet. "Brownies and red wine mix well together."

He pulled a face but didn't argue. She handed him his glass and shuffled back into the living area, turning the television back on, while she went a searched the surrounding area. She hadn't gotten the chance to fully scope the area out, and she vaguely remembered seeing a couple of board games on the shelve in the coat closet by the front door.

She spotted Monopoly almost instantly and pulled it down and dusted it off. She waved the board around at Rafael, who looked up at the racket. He pulled another face but didn't say anything yet again. He knew it was futile to argue with her when she had her mind set on something. And she had her mind set on wine, brownies, and a long game of Monopoly. That would last them until tomorrow afternoon. She hoped, anyway.

* * *

"Bullshit!"

"No bullshit. I didn't even see a girl naked until I was a sophomore in college."

Liv laughed and nearly spilled her glass of wine, her bare feet pressing into his thigh. They had worked their way through a second bottle of wine and started on a third, both feeling the effects of the red liquid. Their game of monopoly had quickly been derailed after they started swapping stories from their younger years. It sat on the coffee table, abandoned next to a bowl of popcorn and the tray of brownies he threw together earlier.

The awkwardness of the afternoon had gone soon after they started to drink, and she was glad for that. She just wanted to forget about it and move on, and that's what they had done.

"Hey, it's not that funny," he argued playfully, resting his hand on one of her ankles. She calmed down and fell back into the arm of the couch, trying to catch her breath.

"I'm not sure why I'm even laughing. I think I've had too much wine," she replied and drained the rest of her glass. She twirled it between her fingers and pursed her lips, looking back and forth between the bottle and his own goofy expression.

He chuckled and squeezed her ankle, "Would you like some more?"

"Yeah."

He refilled her glass, knowing there was no real harm in it. It's not like they were leaving the cabin, and wine always tended to make him incredibly sleepy. His eyes weren't drooping yet, surprisingly, but he attributed that to the company he had.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better. My first time wasn't great at all."

"Oh? Did your roommate accidentally walk-in on you while you were trying to get it on to Marvin Gaye the night before exams?"

Liv did her best not laugh hysterically, but failed when he joined her. She snorted and covered her mouth, only succeeding in making them laugh even harder. Her feet slipped up onto his lap as she slid down and one his hands was now lying on her shin. She only noticed the positioning when he slid his hand around her leg and tickled the back of her knee.

"Hey! Not fair," she scolded him, curling her toes into the fabric of his jacket, "I don't know any of your ticklish spots."

"You never will," he glanced at out of the corner of his eye and drained his own drink. She smiled at him and rolled her eyes. He was only vaguely aware of her feet on his lap and her toes running across his stomach, playing with the zipper that hung low.

"I don't see why not. We already pretty much know each other inside and out. I mean, hell, you've seen me naked now." Rafael looked over at her sharply, the reminder that he had in fact seen her naked coming back full force. He hated that it was so easy to remember, after he tried in vain all afternoon to get rid of it. But, she didn't seem upset at the current moment, after she brought it up.

In fact, she had a smile on her face as she licked her lips, watching him over the rim of the glass. That little move damn near sent him into a tailspin of desire that he didn't need to step foot near. Still, he couldn't stop the response his slightly intoxicated mind created at the least second, "And what a sight it was."

Liv's foot stopped its movement the moment the words left his mouth and he instantly regretted them. He was afraid to spare her a glance, already knowing that she was probably disgusted with him. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her off and ruin the night-

"Did you like what you saw?"

Wait-what? He looked over at her sharply, eyes wide and no longer feeling the effects of the wine. He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat as Liv set her glass on the coffee table and shifted her feet off his lap, coming to sit up. She moved daringly closer and he could feel all the air leave his lungs.

"Rafael?"

His name brought him back to himself and he tried not to look down at the ample amount of cleavage peeking out from her hoodie. He breathed heavily as she leaned in and her hand came to rest on his chest.

"Liv?"

She looked down and then looked back up, a smile on her face. "It's not the alcohol…. I know that's what you're thinking…" she inched closer and grabbed his glass from him and set it by the bottle on the table. She took his hand in hers gently, her palm feeling so warm and inviting against his. He swallowed again, feeling himself heat up from just her touch alone.

"I know this might sound a little crazy and out of left-field, and trust me it is for me too, but…I think I might…love you?"

Liv watched as Rafael's face remained amusingly neutral despite his eyes displaying a range of different emotions. Disbelief, happiness, lust…so many ones she couldn't name within the span of seconds.

She really, truly didn't know where this was coming from. He'd said those words and something just clicked into place. The flirty banter between them had always been a constant in casual conversation. But the incident that afternoon had shifted things for them in such a huge way. It opened doors to feelings she didn't even know she could have for him. All because he saw her naked and the struggle he had to try and make her not feel awkward or violated because of that.

Their entire evening spent sharing stories and drinks and barely playing a stupid, unwinnable board game conjured up all those feelings she'd tried desperately to squash down for years. Being snowed in, in a confined space with him had led to this and honestly? She was suddenly so grateful for mother nature's inexplicable weather patterns.

Except…he wasn't saying anything. He just kept looking at her, like she had broken his brain and for a second, she thought she had. Maybe, she took a step too far too soon. She had been fairly sure that he returned at least a fraction of the sentiments she had for him…but the longer he looked at her like that, the less confident she became.

She moved back a bit and crossed her arms around her midsection, feeling so stupid all the sudden. "Ok, never mind. We can blame that on the alcohol."

"No," his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. He scooted closer to her, turning his body to hers. Their legs touched and he reached up to cup her cheek. His thumb ran lightly underneath her eye and she leaned into it, their lips just inches from each other.

"You…love me?"

Liv nodded, placing a hand on his thigh. "I think. This might sound so random and realize that…but I've tried for so long to get rid of these feelings I've had for you- "

"Me too," he interrupted suddenly. She stopped, unexplainable tears gathering in her eyes at his soft words. He licked his lips and continued, eyes darting back and forth across her face, "For a long time. For a very long time."

She closed the distance between them, her lips itching to feel his. At first, it was soft and sweet, almost hesitant as they tasted each for the first time. It was sensual and displayed all of their feelings for each other. Feelings buried away for some time.

Her heart was nearly bursting with the feeling of his fingers leafing through her hair and his tongue licking at her lips. She opened her mouth to him, moaning softly when their tongues slid across one other. It lit an intense fire in her belly and before she could really know what was going on, she was on her back and he was on top of her.

She shifted her legs, fitting him between as their tongues continued to dance. He slowly slid his hand from her hair, down her neck and side, until the toyed with the edge of her shirt. He pulled away, lips red and breathing heavily. She nodded her head, already knowing what he was asking from her. He asked her anyway.

"You sure?"

"Positive," she leaned up and kissed him, running a hand down his chest. She ended up taking the initiative and shucking the jacket and shirt off herself, leaving her topless to the cold air of the cabin.

Rafael probably hadn't been expecting her to be braless and she was suddenly so happy she had decided to forgo the garment, because his expression was so worth it. She giggled girlishly and grabbed the back of his neck, pulling him down on top of her again. Their kiss was far more intense this time. The feeling of her nipples against the rough material of his jacket was replaced with his hands and then his mouth, licking and nipping. She moaned loudly, her fingers dragging through his soft hair. He descended lower.

The path of his lips on her skin was making her sweat. She groaned low in her throat when his fingers danced along the waist band of her pajama pants and his teeth nipped at the skin near her belly button. She shifted and lifted her hips, letting him drag the material down her legs, leaving her exposed to his hungry eyes and the frigid air.

He towered over, eyes dark with lust and love. He wasn't moving, just staring, and after a few seconds, she grew impatient. She was too far gone to feel embarrassed about his eyes taking in every inch of her bare form, so she spread her legs and moaned softly, feeling the cool air hit her wet, needy heat.

Rafael swallowed hard, eyes drawn to her dark curls. Liv smirked a little, seeing how visible shook he was at her actions alone. It wasn't often one Rafael Barba found himself shocked speechless, but she had done just that to him. Normally, she would have teased him about it, but if he didn't touch her soon, she was going to combust.

"You just going to stare all night?"

Still he didn't move and after another few seconds, Liv sighed and trailed her own fingers down between her breasts and midsection until she landed on her clit and shivered in pleasure. Her fingertips moved in slow circles, shockwaves weaving through her body as she began to pleasure herself. Her eyes closed for a few seconds, moving her fingers in such a familiar way.

A warm grip on her wrist stopped her movements and her eyes flew open, his green orbs connecting with her brown ones for a second. Then, his tongue was on her and there was no stopping the embarrassingly loud, strangle gasp that escaped her throat. Her back arched and she panted heavily, feeling his tongue and fingers and lips in a place she never imagined he would be.

His wet, velvety tongue worked in circles around her sensitive nub while his hands traced up her sides and gripped her breasts, his fingers pinching her sensitive nipples. She grabbed handfuls of the couch cushions, gasping and digging her nails into the fabric as her climax shot through her. She lifted her hips off the couch, heels digging into his back.

He moved from her center and licked his way back up her body, taking one nipple between his lips briefly before he kissed her, their tongues meeting in an embarrassingly sloppy manner. Tasting herself on his lips was erotic, but not as erotic as the way he bucked against her. His clothed erection against her wet folds was driving her crazy.

"Rafa," she said breathlessly between kisses, "I need you to take your clothes off before I go insane."

He chuckled against her lips and pulled back, sitting up on his knees between her legs to shed his layers. She sat up and helped him, exchanging hot little kisses after each layer came off. She didn't feel completely at ease until he was bare, on top of her, with his face buried in her chest.

"God, I can't believe this is happening," he whispered, coming back up to her lips. She hummed against him in agreement, which quickly turned into a low moan when his hand palmed her breast again. She spread her legs further and wrapped them around his back, feeling his erection prodding and rubbing against hotly.

She was gushing at this point, reaching heights of arousal she didn't know she could. Whether it was the alcohol that had been settling all day or it was him, Liv was experiencing feelings she never had before. Perhaps, it was because he was her best friend. They'd known each other for years now. They'd forged a bond over work that eventually spilled over into their real lives, allowing them to get to know each other inside and out.

She arched into him as his fingers slipped inside of her, grinding down against his hand to feel some sort of friction. He was definitely getting to know her more, now. There was no coming back from this. The thought should have scared her, but instead, it spurred her on.

"Rafa, please," she whispered against his mouth, panting heavily as he worked her with his hand. He groaned in response and eventually pulled his fingers from her and replaced it with him.

"Liv," he said, finally tearing his lips from hers, "I…I- "

"I know," she said quietly, cupping his cheek. "I know."

They smiled at each other. Their lips met in a hot, passionate kiss once more as he slid inside of her.

* * *

Liv woke to the sun shining in her eyes and she groaned and rolled away from the picture window. She buried her face in Rafael's chest, who stirred and tightened his hold on her, murmuring something into her hair.

She groaned and adjusted herself, burrowing into the large blanket and his warm, bare body. She had a dull headache thumping away in the back of her head, but she would take it over the usual splitting migraines she got when she drank that much normally. It may have been subdued since they worked off most of the alcohol the night before.

She smiled at the memory, nuzzling his neck. What a glorious night. She could still feel him, and she reveled in that. Her muscles were sore and she was afraid sleeping on the floor had done things to her back. Although, the floor sex had been fun in front of the window with the moonlight streaming in. Not as fun as the kitchen sex or the coffee table sex, but great nevertheless.

"The fuck….," he groaned and flinched. He turned his head, eyes closed and his arm thrown over them for good measure. She laughed and kissed his chest, propping herself up on one elbow to block out some of the sunlight blinding him.

He squinted when he looked at but then smiled that gorgeous smile. "Morning."

"Morning," she greeted back and kissed him. She didn't think she was ever going grow tired of kissing him. She hoped he didn't either.

"So, was it all just a dream or did we really have sex six times last night?"

Liv kissed him again and sat up, stretching and popping her back. She looked over her shoulder, seeing him watching her intently. "Not bad for almost fifty."

"Not bad at all," he said lowly, checking her out as she stood and stretched properly. She smirked and stepped over him, giving him quite the view. She was thirsty as all hell and she needed a glass of water. Her phone vibrating on the counter made her stop. She was a little disappointed to see it wasn't the smiling face of her son she set as Lucy's contact picture. She had only gotten to talk to him for ten minutes the night before, before he passed out from his exhausting day at the zoo and then the movies.

She picked it up anyway, seeing the phone number for the main office.

"Ok…yes…ok, thank you so much. Alright, bye."

"Who was it?" She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and walked back over to Rafael, who was also standing with the blanket wrapped around his body. She smiled and handed the bottle to him.

"We'll be plowed out of here by noon."

"Thank God," he sighed dramatically. They stood quietly, taking each other in for a minute in the silence. Rafael set the bottle on the table next to their mess and opened the blanket. Liv stepped into it and sighed into his shoulder, relaxing into his embrace.

"We should probably talk about things…," he said carefully. Liv nodded in agreement. They had _a lot_ to talk about. Feelings…their relationship…the humongous change in their relationship…

This was going to change many things for them. Things that had been constants in their lives for some time now. Their jobs, the way they worked together. The fact that she had a son and the fact that disclosing to their bosses could mean the end of their partnership.

It was scary to think about. It was a future with so many unknowns. But, she didn't feel that much fear. Deep down, in the pit of her stomach, she knew this wasn't some relationship that was going to end in a couple of months. She could feel this was something that would last a lifetime, if they truly let it.

"We should…," she trailed. She pulled back and tilted her head up, catching his beautiful green eyes. "But we can do that later. Right now, I think we both need a shower." She pushed the blanket off both of their bodies and let it fall to the floor. She took his hand and lead him to the bathroom, where this entire thing kicked off in the first place.

Before they could enter, he stopped her and turned her towards him. "I love you."

It fell so easily from his lips and she didn't fight the flutter she felt in her stomach at his words. She kissed him sweetly, cupping his face in her hands. The words fell from her mouth without hesitation, right back. She meant them, too.

"I love you, too."


End file.
